Materials In A Baseball

[Sabermetrician]

I'm writing a chemistry paper on the Materials in a baseball, how the baseball has changed over the years, and how this has effected offensive output. Anyone have some info, or sites that could be helpful?

[AlwaysaCub]

There's a book called "The Physics of Baseball" or something to that effect. I read it a long time ago, and I can't recall exactly, but I think the book talked about the materials as they affect the way the ball carries.

 

Hope that helps.

[jjgman21]

I've heard the Ray Chapman incident had alot to do with a boost in offense. after he was killed, they started getting rid of the ball everytime it got dirty. before that they would often use one ball for the entire game and it would become soft and scuffed, both of which favored the pitcher as the game went on.

[macuser2]

There's a book called "The Physics of Baseball" or something to that effect. I read it a long time ago, and I can't recall exactly, but I think the book talked about the materials as they affect the way the ball carries.

 

Hope that helps.

 

I can confirm that having read that one myself.

[cl smooth]

I've heard the Ray Chapman incident had alot to do with a boost in offense. after he was killed, they started getting rid of the ball everytime it got dirty. before that they would often use one ball for the entire game and it would become soft and scuffed, both of which favored the pitcher as the game went on.

 

they mention this in geoge f. will's men at work book, as well. the book itself is a good read, although a little dated (1990). he interviews tony larussa, orel hershiser, tony gwynn and cal ripken jr about managing a game, pitching, hitting and defense, respectively. one of the first books that i've read from that time period that's not a bill james-related book that mentions OBP and slugging percentage.

 

a good quote in the book is where either rene lacheman or jim lefebvre, who are larussa's coaches on the a's at the time, talk about runners "clogging the basepaths." it made me think of someone who we all hold dear to our hearts...funny that in one hand, they talk about OBP and SLG percentage in a good light but then bring up a crap theory like that.